Rage Against the Machine

Now, when I listen to Rage, I hear something completely different. Vocals that convey the most power and emotion I have ever heard. Zack puts such intensity into all his songs, the quiet ones can make you just as angry as the screaming ones. The style is also much better than anything else I've heard. His singing goes from quiet rhyming to funky hiphop verses, to screaming catchphrases of anger and rage against 'the machine'. This is all backed up by the greatest guitarist today, Morello. He does things that not even I can do with my collection of air-guitars! Briliant solo pieces fit seemlessly with tunes that will keep you motivated and angry. Timmy C on the bass is normally overlooked due to Morello's greatness, but he keeps everything together with catchy riffs. And finally drum beats to keep it all lively and kicking.

I don't need to mention any of their songs for special praise, they all deserve it. This is a brilliant album that makes all other rock bands look amateur.

Thankyou, and goodnight.


Rage.....makes amazing music   February 25, 2007
Jasper Wong (Beijing, China)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Rage Against the Machine...the name of the band says everything about their style. Pounding beats, amazing riffs, and completely rage filled lyrics and singing-these are some of the things that make Rage Against the Machine so compelling. There is NO filler in this album, it just pounds and rages through the entire length. Anarchy is a constant feature in Rage Against the Machine's songs, especially in this album. Songs like 'Killing in the name of' and 'know your enemy' show exactly how this works. For example, 'F*** you i wont do what you tell me' in 'Killing in the name of' pretty much underlines the entire band's purpose; stirring up controversy while keeping musical elements in their songs. The bands name says a lot about their style - the name is a term for rebelling against the authority, and their music surely proves that the name is rightfully used. Zach De la Rocha's singing/rapping goes very well with the band's heavy baselines and beats. Though this CD is around 15 years old, it still seems as fresh as ever. I think it is a great pity that the band broke up, and even though the remaining members (everyone minus Zach De la Rocha) of Rage against the Machine went on to form Audioslave, Audioslave much less controversial, and (in my opinion) their lyrics and baselines a lot less powerful.




Why god invented ears, a voice and a fist.   March 9, 2004
MR S MILLS
25 out of 29 found this review helpful

The problem with a band having such a heavy political stance is sometimes the politics prove detrimental to the musical accomplishment. Thankfully with RATM, once you look past the conglomerate-bating lyrics (whilst the band is signed to a highly lucrative contract with Sony-owned Epic Records), and ignore how the “fuck you I won’t do what you tell me” chant of their most popular hit on the record ‘Killing in the Name” has become the mantra of homework-hating white middle-class teens (a cynical marketing ploy veiled by an ostensible anti-capitalist stance, or a call-to-arms gone wrong?), RATM possess an impressive musical prowess. Successfully fusing hip-hop elements such as rap with Led Zeppelin-inspired hard rock over an entire album, RATM pioneered a sound that would later be often copied and yet never surpassed.

‘Bombtrack’ provides a startling introduction to the RATM manifesto. A quietly plucked opening suddenly explodes into a huge towering monster of a riff from guitarist Tom Morello, clearly showing his aforementioned Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath influences. Vocalist Zack De La Rocha spits the chorus “Burn, burn, yes you’re gonna burn” with such an intense ferocity rarely heard since the Sex Pistols’ Johnny Rotten 20 years earlier. Standout track ‘Killing in the Name’ shortly follows which surely represents the most aggressive vocal performance ever committed to compact disc, with yet another killer riff to boot. Any doubts that De La Rocha does not believe 100% in his own message are instantly dispelled when he screams out his expletive-ridden lyrics.

Later highlights include the consecutive three track assault of ‘Bullet in the Head’, ‘Know Your Enemy’, and ‘Wake Up’. The latter in particular, which should be familiar to any fan of the first Matrix movie, is a graphic illustration of the celebrated guitarist Tom Morellos’ musical abilities, in particular his striking left-field guitar handling, conjuring up seemingly impossible sounds from his instrument. He even coined the use of the toggle switch on his guitar to act as a kill-switch so when moved repeatedly it produced a stuttering effect as heard on the intro to ‘Know Your Enemy’. Morello’s huge, flowing riffs and innovative solos will undoubtedly hook those who are not entirely in agreement with De La Rocha’s political stance.

RATM ends with what would become a theme throughout their albums, where what could be the most explosive song on the album is served last, so that the lasting effect reverberates in the mind of the listener long after the album has ended. ‘Freedom’ features a deceptive whisper of “anger is a gift” before leaping into the fastest, heaviest riff this side of Motorhead. ‘Freedom’ concluded the bands live show right up until their dissolution in late 2000, and is fitting ending to an album rarely matched for such an out-pouring of aggression and emotion, whether that by from the howls of De La Rocha, the impressive percussion and funk-driven bass, or the heroics of guitarist Morello.

Whatever the message, no-one can doubt RATMs commitment to their cause, and even if that cause is a cynically money-driven one aimed at a hole in the ‘politically-aggressive band’ slot of the market (whether that be on the part of the record company of the group), ironically this album may inspire one disillusioned individual to speak out at the injustices they see in their society and necessitate positive change. Either way the band can sleep soundly in their beds knowing they have participated in one of the most impressive debuts since rock’n’roll was invented to subvert the normality of a consumerist existence.


Anger is an energy   August 4, 2006
Grr (England)
13 out of 15 found this review helpful

This is not so much an album as one long angry protest song. That is not an insult, it's one hell of a song! Later RATM albums would show that they were really one trick ponies when it came down to it, but on this album the trick was fresh and, frankly, astonishing.

I was lucky enough to be of the right age when the single 'Killing in the name of' came out (and hilariously got Bruno Brookes a load of grief from radio 1 - should've played the radio edit!) and my breath was quite literally taken away.

Everything on this album follows the same pattern, chilled start, frantic mid-section , then softly, softly then bang! It doesn't really go beyond that, nor does it need to.

Lyrically intelligent and thought provoking and musically provocative - Tom Morello's guitar playing really is something to behold - this rap/metal hybrid has a punk rock heart beating beneath it.

Well worth the asking price.


If you could give one album 6 stars, this is it.   April 5, 2000
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

This is the best album I have ever listned to. At first I thought I preferred Evil Empire, which is an excellent album as well. But over and over again I found myself listening to this album and finding myself enjoying it emensly despite the fact that I had listned to it countless times. Tom Morello's blistering guitar combined with Zack De La Rocha's message riddled vocals works brilliantly, with Timmy O's bass and Brad Wilk's drums sounding equally as good. It is an excellent mix of rock and the funkiest hip hop you can find. It is impossible for me to name a favourite track as when I am just starting to think one is my favourite I listen to the next one and realise that is amazing to. I agree with many of my fellow reviewers, if you are going to by a rage album, don't start with The Battle of Los Angeles (buy this later, it is excellent too) Make sure you buy RATM: RATM, buy it even if you don't like the type of music!